


Belief

by Supero1726



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Enemies to Lovers, Finally a proposal, Friendship, Kissing, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mistletoe, One Shot, Romance, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Stony - Freeform, Sunset watching, Superhusbands, This is an AU, This timeline is very bad, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:15:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24273421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Supero1726/pseuds/Supero1726
Summary: After the events of the the Battle of New York, the Avengers have the own problems brewing. The tension between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers is too great to be ignored, and there might be a reason for that. Watch as years pass and they enter what can only be called a relationship. As the world needs saving again and again, how will the two superheroes juggle a secret romance and restoring peace to a confused world.
Relationships: -if you squint - Relationship, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Natasha Romanov & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Kudos: 20





	Belief

**Author's Note:**

> This is a totally clean (there is some swearing), slightly different, first love story. I am not a usual romance writer, so a Stony fic might be a little out of my comfort zone, but here we are. Does anyone ever read these? You know the drill if you have read one of mine before, tell me if it was good, bad or just sweet. Enjoy!

June 2013.  
“Shit.”  
“Tony!” Pepper looked up from the desk. Ever since the incident with the Avengers, and the nuclear missile that was headed straight toward New York, he had become more reclusive, spending days in his lab on a few minutes of sleep. Recently he had been neglecting his signature comebacks for grunts and asks for the odd screwdriver. When Pepper had broken things off with him, she was surprised to find that he had not been angry, instead he seemed to recluse more inside himself. A hermit. A hermit that seemed to dislike sunlight and a regular sleep schedule. But today, she had dragged him out to the annual board meeting with minimal fuss, and he had hardly uttered a word until they reached the door.  
“Remind me why I bother with these.”  
“You,” Pepper turned and stared at him, watching as he squirmed under her gaze. “don’t. But you are becoming the recluse of the century, and really need to get yourself out the lab…” she stopped, as if sniffing the air. “You could have showered before this Tony.”  
“Why should I. It’s my life I’m wasting here, watching as those board dimwits argue with themselves. And I’M gracing them with my presence. The least they could do is be thankful.” Pepper sighed. It was going to be a long day. 

Steve Rogers pulled down the baseball cap that he had been using as a disguise and walked forward. Sometimes it was as if the world had run onward, and he had just stood there and watched. Back in the 30’s, he and Buck had visited Stark’s (he supposed it was Howard to the rest of the world) flying car and thought that was almost magic. Of course, that had been overshadowed by the Serum, Peg and Hydra, but he still remembered that moment of madness when it rose up a few inches off of the floor. Now there was everything from Smart phones to holograms, and he felt inadequate, even if he was the revered Captain America. He had taken classes in technology from the local University for as long as he could, in fact just after the Chitari invasion, he had signed up with a pseudonym and walked in, the others attending totally unaware that an Avenger was in their midst. He was often spied sitting at the back, making notes silently on a piece of paper and watching as the teacher turned the power-point on and off via a remote. Stark would mock him so badly if he knew. “The great Captain America taking night classes at Uni. Well they can’t do better than I can.” He could also imagine Tony laughing at him, then waltzing off into the distance, hand in hand with success and fame. 

December 2013. 

“Merry Christmas!”  
It had been a strange year, but they had got what had been classed as the ‘super team’ back together for Christmas, well bar Thor who was dealing with a brother in disgrace. Tony sat in the corner; hand clasped around a glass of Whisky. Clint sat with his legs on the table, looking into Nat’s’ eyes as if seeing right into her soul. Bruce had gone back to the lab, and Steve, Steve was leaning against the door, as if he was protecting the others. The clock struck one, the two soul searchers called it a night and went to bed. Tony made no move. Steve walked to the table. “I’m sorry.” He said, as if Tony could hear him with the amount of alcohol in his system. He certainly made no approach to answer, and Steve started to retreat back to the door.  
“No.” Tony said suddenly, vehemently, passionately. “It’s me. It’s all me. He went on about how great you are. I think he wished for me to be you Spangles. Shit… I don’t think he even looked at me. But you, you where his pet project. He loved you more than me. Oh shit, I’m…”  
“You’re drunk Tony.”  
“What.”  
“Go to bed.”  
“I am not.” He hiccupped, vision blurring and then stumbled: “Okay.”  
He stayed there for a minute, before staggering to the door and watching Steve’s face, as if studying it to remember everything on it.  
“Goodnight Spangles.”  
“Goodnight Tony.”  
Not that Tony heard him then, but later he could have sworn he heard Steve mutter “Merry Christmas, genius.”

February 2014. 

“Jarvis.”  
“Sir, it seems like another panic attack. Would you like me to call Ms Potts?”  
“No. Shit no. Um, is the damn kitchen free.”  
“Yes Sir.”  
“What time is it anyway.”  
“One thirty.”  
“Shit.”  
He staggered out of bed, grabbing the counter he reached into the cupboard and poured himself a glass of water. “Tony?” Steve’s voice rang clear through the room.  
“I thought that this place would be empty, after all, it is currently one thirty in the morning.”  
“Look. I don’t want to interrupt anything important, but…” he stopped, and looked toward the back wall as if searching for something to focus on. “I just want to ask… are you okay?” Tony didn’t answer, he searched the wall with Steve, their eyes meeting on the discoloured spot in the middle.  
Tony turns, and starts toward the back wall.  
“I graduate next week.”  
“What?”  
“Local Uni, tech courses once a week and all. I thought… I thought that you might…”  
“Want to come.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Rogers. Who do you think I am?”  
“Urm.”  
“Yeah. I have a job. Fuck it. I can’t just drop everything to watch you. And anyway, what would even make you think that I would even want to come?”  
“I don’t know, Stark.”  
“Goodnight Steve.”  
“Goodnight Tony.”

14th February 2014. 

The billboards where covered in pink and red flowers, and a couple of petals fluttered down from high above. Steve sat in the last week of the class and thought. Half the world would kill to be with him today, and yet… and yet he had not met one willing person who he had truly felt for. And Tony. Tony was always running around with women. He was the worst sort of person. Too clever for his own good and so, so immoral. But why had he wanted him to come to the graduation… that had been madness. Steve Rogers sighed, answered the question, and went back to his thoughts. 

“Damn it.”  
“Tony.”  
“No. No. No.”  
“Well do you have anywhere else to be?”  
Tony Stark sat at the workbench and listened to Pepper scold him. This time the meeting really did seem inevitable but…  
“I have Avengers business.”  
“Really? What criminals plan their lives around when Tony Stark has a meeting.”  
“I could just pay them to.”  
“Well then that would be rather counterintuitive, and slightly illegal.”  
“Shut up.”  
“So, you are coming then.”  
“I already told you. Avengers business.”  
“And I already said that it makes no sense.”  
“Alright, look, I’ve been invited to a graduation party. It’s for someone I know, so…”  
“I want photographic evidence that Tony Stark was not in the lab that day.”  
“Which,” Tony thought slyly, “I will provide.”  
“Fine.”  
“Fine.”

Graduation day for Steven Grant Rogers. 

He sat at the front watching the last class. There had been a small exam, ceremony and now a couple of family members where congratulating the previously tech deficient with a new smartphone or laptop, and a few hugs and congratulations. He had no-one. No-one to hug and praise him. They were all dead, or worse, and how he had to live without anyone understanding him, not truly, not properly.  
“And here I was thinking that you spent your time moping about the Tower.”  
“Tony?”  
“The one and only.”  
“What are you doing here?”  
“Watching you get a smartphone from me. Welcome to the 21st century Cap.”  
“Thanks.”  
“For what?”  
“This, being there.” Steve stared into Tony’s eyes, looking at the man he had once hated. “I guess you’re not so bad.”  
“Then you don’t know me that well.” He said, and walked slowly off into the distance, leaving Steve clutching the phone and thoughts in one loose grip. 

April 1st, 2014.

Tony woke up panting again, stars flickering in his eyes. This time it was four, and although there was no light streaming through the window, it felt a slightly more habitable hour of the morning. Once again, he trotted into the kitchen, and grabbed water, and once again there, from behind him, rang out: “Tony?”.  
“Is this like your alone time, or do you wake up just to see me?” In the dim light, Tony could’ve sworn that he blushed.  
“Look.” Steve said. “I’m sorry for everything.”  
“I hate you.” Tony blurted out. “Everything about you. I hat how you look at me and how your eyes move and what you say. You’re so fucking perfect that I can’t even… And I’m meant to be a hero”  
“Tony…”  
“Look. I think it’s better if we just…”  
“Don’t talk.” Steve finished. “Because if we do… I’m not sure what we would be.”  
“I hate you.” Tony said, and moved forward toward him, staring straight into his eyes. “I hate everything about you.”  
“Okay.” Steve said, turning to go. He walked to the door, and put his hand on the knob, and then wheeled, to find Tony looking at him. Neither spoke.  
“Well I’m going to bed.” Tony said, eyes still on Steve.  
“Yeah.”  
“Look Captain Morals, I just want to know. Why do you want me around and then push me away? I’m going to bed.” He walked to the door but felt Steve’s eyes still on him. “What. What’s the matter? What do you want?”  
But Steve had already pulled Tony in, and with his lips hard against his, kissed him. 

Tony struggled for words, and sleep. Climbing back into the bed he sat there. Steve Rogers liked him. Steve Rogers liked him.

Breakfast was a subdued affair. The team was gathered around the table. Both Nat and Clint were readying for a mission, Bruce was, once again, busy, and Steve and Tony came down late, not catching each other’s eyes and not speaking. 

Tony was in the workshop when the door opened, and Steve lent against the frame. “Would you believe me if I said it was an April fool’s tradition?”  
“I thought Captain High and Mighty didn’t do jokes.”  
“I guess that’s ruled that out then.” He lent against the table and watched as Tony worked with his hands. “Look. I’m really sorry and all. I don’t even know whether you like guys in that way, let alone whether you like me and…”  
But he was cut off by Tony swooping down, lips on his, hands around his waist. Steve leant into the kiss, and for a split second they where there, ignoring anything else, anything that wasn’t them. An explosion shattered sparks into the room, no-one noticed.  
“Does that answer your question?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Well I gotta...”  
“Yeah, me too.”  
Tony stopped, just catching Steve’s eye. “Just so you know, I don’t do April Fool’s either.”

Nat sat on the table. Steve had looked unusually happy this morning, she had never heard him sing, and was unsure if she ever needed to hear it again. The mission had gone well, Clint and she had gone for lunch after, and they had joked over newfound fame over a glass or two of champagne. Now she was bored, and with the next part of the assignment coming through soon, she decided to work off the aggression in the gym. When Tony had first developed super-human punching bags, she had scoffed, but now Steve was punching his soul out onto the bag. There was no music in the space, but a whisper of some song carried through the air. He had the music up loud then.  
“Rough day.”  
“I guess.”  
He carried on pummelling the bag into submission.  
“Turning back into a teenager?” she mocked.  
“What?”  
“Mood swings.”  
“Oh, yeah… I guess.”  
She watched him as he worked. Left, tight, dodge, left right, upper cut, knee, knee.  
“You know you can tell me.”  
“Yeah…”  
“So…”  
“No.”  
Fine, she thought, turning back to her own dummy and pulling a roundhouse into its neck. You be secretive. But she would find out, she would find out what was going wrong, what was causing this un-Steve like behaviour. 

For the first time in years, Tony kept a regular schedule. He showered; went into the workshop, avoided Steve, ate lunch, worked, avoided Steve, worked, possibly slept 20 minutes, avoided Steve. He had never thought of himself as Bisexual before. Sure, he had considered it, but life had got in the way, and there had been so much booze that he hadn’t cared who had flattered him just so long as it got him to forget the demon inside. Now, he had kissed Steve, kissed Captain Spangles. And he had liked it. And then… blocked him out, focused on work and Pepper’s problems and the business. Meet me on the roof. What did that even mean. Meet me on the roof? 

Steve sat with his legs dangling off of the tower, had had not expected Tony to show, it was a long shot and, well, he had wanted him to. The door clanged open.  
“The roof, really.”  
“Yeah… well…”  
“Steve.”  
“Tony.”  
“Tony I…”  
“You like me.”  
“Well yeah.”  
Tony grinned, eyes sparkling.  
“Steve, nothing is ever easy with me.”  
“I know.”  
“But,” he said tentatively. “if you want to try, I do to.”  
“What does that even mean Tony.”  
“Damn it Rogers. It means I like you.”  
There was a moment of silence, they looked at each other.  
“If you’re…”  
But once again he was cut off by Steve leaning in and kissing him, and this time it was far longer than before. 

They sat up there for hours as the sun set, just talking and teasing each other. Tony wondered how he hadn’t noticed how funny Steve could be, and Steve looked past the arrogance into the selfless heart. For the first time in years, neither had nightmares. 

Two months later. 

“Look. I want everything to be perfect.”  
“It’s a date Tony, not a Christmas gala.”  
“Yeah, I know… but it’s our date night.”  
They sat on the sofa in the Avengers common room, Tony’s head on Steve’s shoulder looking out the window, taking in the lights of New York city. “How about the nice Italian?”  
“Just so long it’s better than that place you took us after New York.”  
“Hey, that wasn’t too bad.”  
“You know damn well it was awful.”  
“Oh careful, language Cap.”  
Steve laughed, and pulled Tony into a kiss.  
“Jarvis, lock the door please.”

The mission had gone to shit. Nat pulled her backpack over her shoulder and walked into the corridor. Clint was injured, the assignment had escaped, and, she was starting to suspect that not all was well with SHIELD. Walking down the room, she paused at the entrance to the common room. The door was locked. No-one ever locked the door, unless for relationship issues. All thoughts of Shield rushed out of her head as she crept into the adjoining kitchen and waited. The door opened after a few minutes, and seconds after there was a click on the same floor, almost at the same time, the elevator pinged, she could not tell which one though. So, it was an Avenger, with either a Stark industries worker or Stark himself. Well, Bruce never had a relationship with anything but his work nowadays for fear of ‘going green’, Thor was off world, and Clint was injured, so that left Steve. But Steve, who would he be with. She knew nothing about his sexual attraction, although she had also heard of Peggy Cater back in the 40’s. It being Steve, it would automatically rule out Stark, they could never overcome the adversity that seemed to separate them. So, a worker. Stark would go ballistic. No relationships with the Avengers? This seemed to cross that line, and whatever they were doing in there, that was not keeping distance. 

Tony sat on the sofa as the elevator dinged and Natasha walked out.  
“Hello Stark.”  
“Nat.”  
“I’ll cut to the chase.” She sat down on the arm of the chair. “Who is Steve seeing?” Tony shrank within himself.  
“No clue. Why would I have anything to do with Captain Spangles over there?”  
“Tony.”  
“Natasha.”  
“Who is Steve seeing?’  
“I don’t know.”  
“I thought you knew everything.”  
And then it hit her, a bolt of lightning. “It’s you…” she breathed.  
“What!”  
“You and Steve… you’re a… thing.”  
“What,” he did a very good job of sounding horrified, ignoring the butterflies that flipped in his stomach when she spoke about his boyfriend. “me going out with Old Morals, we would never work.”  
“Well… Tony… when you’re ready to admit that there was a making out session in the living room when I got back, call me…” She began to walk out and then, finally.  
“Okay so, Steve and I are dating. No big deal.”  
“It’s a big deal.”  
“Look. I had this… thing for him and then he kissed me, and I tried to get out of it and then. We’re dating. I love him. Is that…”  
“Tony.” She drew out the last syllable of his name.  
“What?”  
“It’s cute. You know, it would make at least 30,000 people happy online who ship you.”  
“You. You’re not mad that I didn’t tell you.”  
“No Tony.”  
“Okay.”  
Walking toward the door, she suddenly turned. “And Tony.”  
“What.”  
“I would like an invite to the wedding.”  
He laughed. “Yeah, sure. Okay.”

Steve was back on the punching bags, and this time he was going vigorously. He stopped for a breather after a few minutes though, and saw Nat leaning against the door. “Hey.”  
“When where you going to tell me?”  
“What do you mean.”  
“That you’re single?”  
“But…”  
“Save it.” Nat said, looking Steve dead in the eye. “Spar with me.”  
They sauntered onto the mat.  
“When where you going to tell me.”  
Steve blocked a hit with his arm, pushing at her leg, wheeled over him.  
“About what?”  
“Your relationship with the guy upstairs.”  
“Oh… that.”  
He threw a punch, but it missed and me was left defenceless as she ran toward him.  
“I think it’s good for you, might calm your high and mighty attitude down.”  
“I do not have…” he swears and dodges a punch.  
“Language Cap.” Nat quips as she rolls on top of him, pushing down his arms and faking a knife drawn to his throat. He makes no move against her as she moves up into a standing position and offers her arm to him. “See, you’re already learning to swear!”  
“Okay…”  
“Look, I know that you’re going to make me promise not to tell anyone, but look… I think they will be okay with it, just so long as they don’t find out by you lot making out in the common room.”  
“Okay. Well I’m gonna…”  
“Oh, and Steve.”  
“Yes.”  
“Be careful.”  
She smirks, and walks out the door, leaving a mystified Steve staring at the door.

New Year 2015.

“Happy New Year.”  
Tony Stark stood by the kitchen island whilst a couple of women watched him. Every so often his eyes would meet with Steve’s, catching his eyes and then darting away. Eventually, Steve got up and walked to the door. “I’ll be back in a minute.” Said Tony to Rhodey, who just sipped a beer with no care in the world. The place had been bathed in gold. Steve probably thought it was ostentatious, pretentious and ridiculous. Tony thought it looked damn good. He eventually found Steve on the balcony up on the fourth floor.  
“Thought you might be up here.”  
“Yeah. Just because I am a superhero doesn’t mean that I do well with the world fawning over me.”  
“I guess that’s more my scene than yours.”  
“Yeah.”  
Steve looked out onto New York, tears glistening in his eyes.  
“It looked so different when I was…”  
“I know.”  
“I guess I feel bad.”  
“For what Steve.”  
“I never broke it off with her. I’ve been to visit her, but I haven’t told her… I haven’t said… she doesn’t know…”  
“About us…” Tony finished, watching the lights glimmer on the horizon.  
“Do you think… am I a good person Tony?”  
“The best Steve.”  
“Then why do I feel like such a failure.”  
“I think we all do Steve.” Tony looks up, some idiot had been flaunting mistletoe out here at the Christmas do, and there was one piece that had been accidently left up. He leaned forward and kissed Steve, arms wrapping around his waist, butterflies in his stomach. He didn’t care. He didn’t care then who saw them, standing on a roof in New York, kissing Steve Rogers into oblivion. They let the kiss deepen, and then pulled back, both blushing slightly.  
“You need to get the cleaners to look at that.”  
“Well maybe I knew that you would be out here.”  
“So, you wanted this.”  
“Of course I did.”  
They stand, hand in hand and listen to the drunken cheers emanating from the room. Sometimes, Steve thought, things with Tony could not be easier. 

July 2015.

“I want this to be perfect.”  
Tony stood at the breakfast bar in the New Avenger Compound, warbling at Natasha who was smirking. “I’m a fool in love.”  
“Yes. Yes, you are.”  
The newest addition to the Avengers shuffled into the kitchen, bearing a slightly tiered expression, she surveyed the two with interest. Having a mind reader amount them was precarious, even for the others. Steve and Tony were going to have to break the news somehow, and they had decided to do it before Date Night. After all, unless there was a global emergency, they had both wanted the night off. “Hi Wanda.” Tony said, leaning against the stool. “Avengers meeting in 5.”  
“Okay.”  
She shuffled back into her room with a bowl of cereal. This was going to be a long day.

“So, what we’re trying to tell you is that…”  
Sam looked into the centre of the room. It had been the usual set up. Ever since the incident with Bucky, the team had almost split; Tony was sitting as far away from Steve as possible; Nat was smirking quietly about something that was annoyingly private, with Clint watching her, Wanda kept herself to herself, and Bruce was sitting on the Sofa. Once again, Thor was off world.  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You and Cap hate each other. We all get that. We thought you might have called is here to address your animosity that is so noticeable. But all you seem to be doing is waffling away.”  
“Okay Sam.”  
“I mean, who decided to put these two together… that was a s…”  
They all stopped to stare. Steve had seemingly moved toward Tony and proceeded to stare directly into his eyes.  
“I don’t know what is going on here.”  
“I do.” Said Wanda quietly, but she was interrupted by the sound of silence as Steve kissed Tony, passionately, right in front of them.

“To cut this presentation short. I am in love with Tony Stark.”  
Silence.  
“Does anyone have any questions.”  
Silence.  
“Well I’ll take that as a no the…”  
“How long has this been going on?” Bruce asked suddenly, as if awakening from a trance.  
“Over a year.” Tony said absentmindedly, staring at the ceiling.  
“How did we not know.”  
“How did I not find out.”  
“Nat knew…” Steve said quietly.  
“Well that,” says someone from the crowd of Avengers staring at the couple. “Makes me feel one heck of a lot better.”

August 2015. 

The table was laid with a cloth and roses sat on the table. The night air was warm on their faces as they sat down on the grass. It was a training compound, sure, but it also had a cracking view.  
“What’s all this Steve.”  
“Look Tony. We need to talk.”  
“About what… if it’s about Bucky then I’ve already talked to you about that, and Bruce is okay, just feeling a little down about the Hulk business, and...”  
“Come on Tony.”  
“What do you mean.”  
“We have been going out for a while now, and there’s something I want to ask you…”  
“I know. I know that I’ll never be a good person.” Tony starts. “But I can’t stop loving you. I’ve tried I really have. I thought I was corrupting you, making you a bad person, but I can’t stop. This is the most I have ever loved anyone, and I am prepared to make myself look shit in the process compared to you. But if you don’t want to be with me then I get it. I get I’m a fucked-up person, but I love you Steve. I will always love you.” He got up to leave, watching Steve’s face.  
“I know Tony.” He says quietly.  
“So, what…”  
“I love you. I really do. I thought that when I lost… when I was brought back, I would never find a way, I would never learn to live again… but you… I love you so much it hurts.” He scrambled in his pocket. “Tony Stark, will you make me a very happy man and do me the honour of marrying me.”  
“Yes.” He breathed. “Shit Steve. Yes.”  
And they kissed as the sun set over the horizon and waited to see what the rest of the world would think.

Finally - the epilogue.

The final press conference.

“Hello, my name is Tony Stark and you know who I am. I have an announcement to make, and it might shock you, but I am currently engaged.”  
Murmurs ran around the crowd as Steve walked out onto the stage and kissed Tony full on the lips.  
“Goodnight.”

**Author's Note:**

> I should probably give some info on how I wrote such fluff without dying inside but I can just say that it is the fault of too many hours of being in lockdown.


End file.
